Saturday, June 15, 2013

Scandals
involving a Senator’s expense claims and the destruction of government
correspondence in Ontario are now being investigated by police.

The Mounties have launched a “formal investigation” into the Canadian
Senate expenses scandal and the involvement of Nigel Wright, Prime Minister
Stephen Harper's former chief of staff.

Wright resigned from Harper's staff last month after it was learned he
gave $90,172 to Senator Mike Duffy to pay back money that was “improperly”
claimed as housing and other expenses.

Harper said he was unaware of the “gift” to Duffy that opposition
politicians suggest was intended to interfere with an internal audit of Duffy's
expenses and to buy his silence.

An
audit also resulted in Senator Mac Harb being ordered to repay $231,649 in
expenses and Senator Patrick Brazeau must repay $48,745 for disallowed living
expenses.

Auditors are still looking a travel expense claims of $321,000 paid to
Senator Pamela Wallin.

Ontario Provincial Police are now investigating the destruction of
emails by senior staff in the Liberal government concerning the cancelation of
contentious gas plants at a cost of $585 million to help the party win last
year’s election.

Saturday, June 8, 2013

There are more concerns for Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservatives
as an Alberta member of the caucus has quit to become an Independent.

Edmonton
politician Brent Rathgeber said he left the Conservative party because its
ideals have been sacrificed to political expediency.

Rathgeber said a major concern was being told what to do, say and how to
vote “like a trained seal.”

“It's
difficult as a lawyer and as a Member of Parliament to find my role to be
subservient to unelected masters half my age at the Prime Minister's Office
(PMO),” he said.

The office is currently embroiled in a controversy over Harper’s now-former
chief of staff Nigel Wright’s secret check for $90,172 given
to Conservative Senator Mike Duffy to repay “improper” expense claims.

Two other former Conservative Senators are also being investigated over
expenses.

Harper said he did not know of the payment to Duffy, which Rathgeber
said is not surprising, as "a lot of stuff goes on in the PMO that the
prime minister doesn't know about."